Rock Music Menu: Stones roll with possible final return

There is always doubt when the Rolling Stones make a return to the stage after an extended layoff whether it is going to be worth checking out or not, but after this week's exultant London shows, it's looking like this is going to be one of the better ones.

And that's a good thing, as the consensus among hardcore fans and industry insiders is that, for real, this is "may be the last time," as the Brit bad boys sang on the first single penned by Glimmer Twins Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Sunday's opening gig featured Mary J. Blige ("Gimme Shelter") and Jeff Beck ("I'm Going Down"), no surprise as special guests joining in what has become the standard at high-profile shows by the band in recent years. Eric Clapton and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine were scheduled for last night's show. But it was the full-circle feel in bringing back bassist Bill Wyman, who left the Stones in 1992, and Mick Taylor, who did the same in 1974, that all but confirms this will be the final go-round.

It's the 50th anniversary of the band, and while the tour, which currently stands at just five dates, is being hopefully, or maybe just cheekily, dubbed "50 & Counting..." there does seem to be an air of the live chapter coming to an end for the Rolling Stones.

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Obviously, this feeling isn't new. The year following the legendary 1981 American Tour was a 20th anniversary European tour, after which many fans wondered about the future of their favorite rock 'n' roll outfit. Two studio efforts followed, "Undercover" (1983) and "Dirty Work" (1986), but the band didn't support either with a tour, mainly due to the fractious relationship between frontman Jagger and guitarist Richards.

"Steel Wheels" finally brought the Stones back to the road for a wildly successful, yearlong jaunt that kicked off with two midsummer nights at Veterans Stadium in 1989. It was hit and miss after that, as questionable studio releases "Voodoo Lounge" and "Bridges to Babylon" brought support tours with more bathroom break songs than ever before.

The group took the hint, not releasing another record of originals for eight years, the positively received "A Bigger Bang" in 2005. The tour was the band's most successful ever, despite a major hiccup occurring in 2006 when Richards famously fell out of a tree and landed on his head, requiring both brain surgery and the postponement of several tour dates.

Anyone who saw the subsequent shows, which didn't make it back to our region, will attest to the fact that Richards' playing was borderline awful. Thankfully, guitarist Ronnie Wood was in a period of sobriety and managed to take the reins and salvage what could have been a mess.

It was the health of Richards that raised concerns both publicly and privately over the past several months about whether a tour would be feasible. Rumors floated around about multiple night stands in just a few cities around the globe with a full-scale tour completely out of the realm of possibility. Then again, maybe this is all about testing the waters. The two London shows will be followed by a date in Brooklyn and two in Newark, N.J., over the next couple weeks.

There were conflicting reports from the first London dates regarding Richards' current guitar prowess. Rolling Stone Magazine reported he was "seemingly content to let Ronnie Wood do some of the heavy lifting on guitar." Two days later, the same publication contradicted itself in a piece titled "The 5 Biggest Surprises From the Rolling Stones' London Kickoff," listing at No. 2 Richards' playing, praising it by citing Internet fan forums for the group -- which is, honestly, a ridiculously impartial way to gauge any aspect of the show.

Understandably, any mention of the Rolling Stones' pending retirement is suspect. Some members of the media at the time were inquiring back in the mid-'70s if a particular tour would be the band's last, while every press conference from "Steel Wheels" on has forced the lads to address the question. It's become quite the joke, much like saying that if there were a nuclear war, only cockroaches and noted drug and alcohol vacuum Keith Richards would survive.

Let's face the real facts though, the group isn't getting any younger. Drummer Charlie Watts is 71, Jagger is 69 and Richards follows suit in a few weeks while Wood remains the baby at 65. It's been argued in the past that these ages mean nothing, especially since the bluesmen who so deeply influenced the Stones played well into their twilight years.

The Stones are now in those same twilight years.

Think about it, Howlin' Wolf made it to 65. Muddy Waters to 70. Bo Diddley died at 79. John Lee Hooker lasted until 83. Chuck Berry, the exception, is still cruising along in his automobile at 86. And while those bluesmen did, without a doubt, party hard, none of them conjured the same energy while on tour for such demanding crowds.

Now, if the Stones were playing at some beat-up blues club, or even something more upscale like our own Warmdaddy's, an argument could be made that they could go right up until the end, but that will never be the case.

The end is drawing near, folks. And if you haven't secured tickets for the New Jersey or New York shows, here's hoping that there is something in the early part of 2013, because like it or not, the reality is the final curtain for the Rolling Stones is drawing to a close.

To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com. Also, check out his blog on the Daily Times website.